Tinubu appoints Abel Enitan as head of federal civil service
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abel Enitan as the new head of the federal civil service of Nigeria, effective August 2026. Enitan, currently the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, succeeds Didi Walson-Jack, who is retiring.
Why it matters
This appointment is a significant administrative shift in Nigeria's government, impacting the leadership and reform trajectory of the nation's civil service.
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abel Enitan as the head of the civil service of the federation, effective August 27, 2026.
In a statement on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said Enitan succeeds Didi Walson-Jack, who is due to retire from the federal civil service upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.
According to Onanuga, Enitan, from Osun, is the most senior permanent secretary in the federal civil service.
“He has served as Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, working at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President,” the statement reads.
“He is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.”
Onanuga said Enitan brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of how the federal civil service works to his new responsibility.
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